Loose leaf binder



April 23, 1935 E. L. KRAG 2%857 LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. 17, 1935 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f/v vf/vrok' fF/A L. Kra

Arifl 2, 193 'K A 2,038,573

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. 17, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOSE LEAF BINDER Erik L. Krag, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 17, 1933, Serial No. 698,432

4 Claims.

This invention relates'to loose-leaf binders and it has for its object, providing a very simple, inexpensive and effective binder for loose leaves so arranged that the leaves can be quickly shifted from one position on the binder to another and can be conveniently and quickly inserted in the binder or removed therefrom.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a binder which embodies features of my invention, showing the binder in its closed'position; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of the binder along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 but with the binder open; Fig. 3 is afurther enlarged fragmental view of a portion of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the binder when closed; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 5 -5 of Fig. 4 but with the binder open; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. '7 is a plan view of a portion of Fig. 4 with parts cut away; and Fig. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

The binder which I illustrate as an embodiment of my invention consists of two frame members, l and l, which are hinged together, opening and closing as is common with binders of this nature. Each frame member comprises two plates, 2 and 3; each plate 2 consists of the main body plate l4 and the flanges l and I6. The flanges l5 of the two frame members are pivoted together by the pivot Means are provided for locking the two members in. their closed position, that is with the flanges I5 together. These means comprise the strip I8 which is slidably mounted in one of the frame plates M by means of guides 9, and fixed to this strip are detents and 2|. These detents pass through slots I9 and 23 in the two flanges l5, and as illustrated the short detents 20 normally look onto the left hand flange l5 when the binder is closed. These slots are elongated so that the strip It may be pushed inwardly a sumcient distance to unlock the detents from.

the flange l5. When the binder is in the closed position, by pushing inwardly the strip it the two members are unlocked and may be opened. If the strip |8 then is released a spring 22 pulls the strip back to the normal position and the detents 2| catch onto t -e left hand flange I5 and hold the binder in a half open position. However, if the strip I8 is again pushed inwardly the detents 2| are released and the binder may be opened further, as shown in Fig. 2.

The flanges I6 are arranged to support the prong strips 25. The prongs 26 are fixed to the strips in any suitable manner and are passed through openings 45 in the flanges 28 of the plates |3. These strips 25 are riveted or otherwise fixed to the respective flanges 28. A strip 30 is fixed to each flange It. The edges of the strips 30 and the flanges 28 are arranged to slide with reference to each other as indicated, and a strip 3| is preferably fixed to each flange 28 to guide the lower edge thereof with respect to the strip 30. With this arrangement, by means of a handle 32 fixed to each member l3, preferably to the flange 28, the prong strips may be slid inwardly or outwardly as far as may be desired.

The movement of each prong strip may be limited if desired by means of a pin 35 or 36 fixed to one of the baseplates I4 and playing in recess 37. or 38 in one of the flanges 40 of the plate l3. In this case the movement provided for the left hand prongs, is materially greater than that for the right hand prongs, but this may be varied to suit the needs.

To prevent inadvertent movement of the prongs I provide a rounded boss 4|, fixed to a spring 42. The boss is arranged to pass into notches 43 in one of the flanges 40. The spring is fixed to one of the plates l4. The boss, by pressing on the handle 32,. may be forced out of the notch in which it may be positioned, and will then pass into the next notch as the plate I3 is moved further. The notches are arranged so as to cause the prongs to be properly positioned with reference to each other and the spring 42 is strong enough to hold the prongs in position until material pressure is applied.

I prefer to fasten the inner ends of the prongs to the strips 25 and to pass the prongs through openings 45 in the flanges 28; and to make the prongs more rigid, flanges 46 are bent up around the openings snugly surrounding the prongs. This provides a very rigid connection between the prongs and the supporting strips.

Indicating characters 44 are formed on one plate M to indicate to the operator the relative positions of the binder plates I2 and I3. As the plate I3 is forced to the left the characters are successively uncovered, and the character indicates the exact relative positions of the prongs.

In Fig. 4 modified means are shown for looking the binder members in the closed and partly open positions. These means comprise a strip 5| 'slidably mounted on the plate 41 by means of guides 48. A detent 50, which is fixed to the operating strip 5|, locks onto the plate 52 when the binder is closed. This detent operates through slots 49 and 53 in the plates 51 and 52. When the strip 5| is pushed inward sufliciently the binder is unlocked, and can be opened until the detent becomes effective. This detent is fixed to the plate 54, and when the binder is partly open this detent is adapted to lock onto the strip 56 which is slidably mounted with ref- 'erence to the plate 51 by means of guides 58 fixed to the plate 51. As the binder opens, the detent 55 catches on the plate 56 preventing further opening of the members, but by pushing inwardly further the strip 5|, a finger 60 mounted on the strip 5! strikes against the flange 6! of 'the strip 56 and pushes the strip inwardly until the detent 55 is released, so that the binder mem- .bers may be opened so far as may be desired. The detent operates in a recess 59 in the strip 56. A spring 62 normally holds the strip 5| in the locking position and the spring 63 normally holds the strip 56 in its locking position.

In this modification the prong strips 65 are slidably mounted directly on the flanges 66. The lower edges of the strips 65 are guided by guides 61 fixed to or cut out from and integral with the flanges 66.

Also in this case the indicating characters are formed on the flange 66, and they are uncovered {as the prong strip 65 is moved inwardly by the handle 68. The strips 65, 13 and 15 are rigidly connected. The movement of the prong strips 65 is limited by the pins 69 and ID, and the respective recesses H and 12 in the plates 13 and I4.

I claim as my invention:

1. A loose leaf binder comprising a frame having two parts hinged together, means for looking said frame parts in their closed positions, said means comprising a strip slidably mounted in one of said frame parts, a detent fixed to said strip and arranged to coact with the other frame part when the binder is in its closed position; and

means for limiting the opening of the frame parts, said latter means comprising a second detent rigidly fixed to the said other frame part, and arranged to coact with the first mentioned frame part when the binder is partly open, and means responsive to the movement of said strip for rendering said latter detent inoperative.

2. A loose leaf binder comprising a frame having two parts hinged together, means for locking said frame parts in their closed positions, said means comprising a strip slidably mounted in one of said frame parts, a detent fixed. to said strip and arranged to coact with the other frame part when the binder is in its closed position; and means for limiting the opening of said frame parts, said latter means comprising a second detent associated with one of said frame parts and arranged to coact with the other part when the binder is partly open, and means responsive to the movement of said strip for rendering said latter detent inoperative, said last-mentioned means comprising a second strip slidably mounted in one of the frame parts and arranged to be operated by said first mentioned strip.

3. A loose leaf binder as claimed in claim 2, and resilient means tending to move said strips to their normal locking positions.

4. In a loose leaf binder, two L-shaped plates nested together and slidably mounted one within the other, one branch of the outer plate having edges arranged to guide the associated branch of the other plate, position-indicating characters formed on the upper surface of one branch of the outer plate, the adjacent branch of the other plate covering the characters When the binder is in its normal closed position.

ERIK L. KRAG. 

